


Living Forever

by alyjude_sideburns



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG1
Genre: Episode Related, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-04
Updated: 2014-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-10 12:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1159847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alyjude_sideburns/pseuds/alyjude_sideburns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tag to The Return 2 (oddly, an SGA episode - but this is all Jack and Daniel) Jack and Daniel talk about death - which leads to good things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Living Forever

**Author's Note:**

> Series AU ending following the SGA episode "The Return". Original Posting: live journal, April 23, 2007

 

 

 

  **Living Forever by Sideburns  
**  


 

"How do you think it will happen, Jack? Your death?"

Jack turned from the waters surrounding Atlantis to gaze into the more beautiful blue of Daniel's eyes. Knowing that Daniel was asking because of Jack's near death at the hand of the replicators on Atlantis didn't help in providing him with any answers, so he shrugged. "I don't know, but if I have a choice, I'd prefer to die in a great battle - one we'd win, of course - or in the sky." He glanced upward and smiled slightly. "Yeah, in the sky, flying free, feeling the power of the plane beneath my hands, threading my way through the clouds, experiencing that incredible moment when you leave the blue behind, can see the blackness of space...."

"So what you're saying is that you want to crash," Daniel said sarcastically.

"Boy, you sure know how to ruin a poetic moment."

Daniel looked upward and mused, "Of course, you could always avoid a messy crash by flying straight into the sun - but that's a rather horrific death - so I'm thinking you just run out of fuel and float free. It'd be a cold death, but hell, you just fall asleep."

"Jeez, you're being-"

"Sorry. Sorry."

"May I inquire into the motive behind your question - besides the obvious - and by the way, thanks for coming to Atlantis."

"You're welcome. Not that I did anything. Everyone had everything well in hand by the time we landed." Then he was the one who shrugged. "But to answer your question, who knows. Maybe it's all the changes in recent months. Maybe it's that the enemy never really changes. Maybe because I foolishly thought time would stand still and we'd be SG-1 forever. Jack, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel - walking through the 'gate and finding adventure on the other side but always failing to bring back anything of significance, if you don't count history, cultures, and worlds beyond belief.

"Instead, you're now a general, we see you once in a blue moon, Sam and Mitchell are making doe-eyes at each other even though, just a few years ago, you were the deer to her doe. Teal'c is torn between his loyalty to you - even though you're no longer around - and his desire to be with his people and family. Vala's kind of like me years ago - hungry to find a home and finally finding it only to see it change before her eyes. Although...I've noticed a distinct appreciation on her part for Doctor Beckett. And he's not all that immune either. So maybe there's hope for her."

"And here I thought after defeating the Ori, this extra time in Atlantis would help," Jack said, his voice oddly sad.

Daniel shook his head. "It was a nice gesture, but I don't belong here. Wish I did because... I'd stay. But I don't. They have their own family." He glanced over at Jack and added, "Don't be surprised if these people never want to leave, by the way. This is their home now, and they love it and the city loves them. Sure, some will rotate back to Earth, but at least seventy-five percent are here to stay."

"But not you."

"No," Daniel said sadly. "Not me." He leaned forward on the railing and rested his clasped hands on the metal. "I'd hoped, desired it, but it's not home. I don't have one, but," his voice hardened, "I'll find one again. I'm not sure where, but damn it, I refuse to die without one. A place to belong, to say goodbye to."

Jack could feel his throat choke up and the burn of tears behind his eyes. He slipped his sunglasses back on and, eyes now forward, said softly, "I think I've changed my mind about how and where I want to die. Maybe there's only one place I want to be when my time comes."

The sudden depth of emotion radiating out from Jack worried him, but Daniel still had to ask. "Where?"

"I want to die in the arms of the person I love most in this world. I want to die with him. I don't want to go first - or last. I want us to go together." He glanced upward again. "When my work here is truly done, when we've completed all we're here to finish, I think I'll be ready to say yes to ascension. I told you no before because that wasn't the time. But if the opportunity arises again--the answer will be yes."

Daniel stepped backward, away from the railing to stare at his friend, not sure he'd heard correctly.

Jack turned around and rested his back against the railing as he added, "Hey, you asked, I told." He cocked his head. "How do you want to die, besides in a place you can call home."

"I...I've kind of died in several imaginative ways, so I'm thinking I'd just like to go to sleep and not wake up. I don't want to go down in battle - I'm kind of tired of those, besides, I usually have to watch someone else die first."

"So you want to die in bed."

"Yeah, I guess I do. As for ascension, well, if I had a guarantee that the person I loved most in the world could be there with me - I'd do it. Otherwise, I just want to let go."

"This has to be the most morbid conversation we've ever had, Daniel. I don't like it."

Daniel grinned then and said, "Actually, since the odds are against finding a new home, let alone dying and having someone to spend eternity with, I suspect I'll pass away in some old folks home, regaling folks with stories they won't believe and, later, they'll talk about that 'crazy old man, Jackson'".

Jack was just about to say something in response when Daniel added, "You do know about Rodney and--"

"You'd better not say Carter, since you've made it perfectly clear that she's destined for Mitchell."

"No, not Carter...Sheppard."

"Oh, yeah, I noticed. I'm not a general for nothing. You get x-ray vision when you're promoted."

"Oh, really? I'll let Rodney know they might want to start sharing their quickies as far from you as possible."

"Quickies around Atlantis? Wow, I'm impressed."

Suddenly Daniel moved back to Jack's side and, frowning, said, "You said 'his arms'. You wanted to die in 'his arms'. _His_? Not hers but... **his**?"

Jack removed his sunglasses and met Daniel's gaze head on. "A mistake. I shouldn't have said 'his', I should have - _meant_ to say - _yours_."

"You want to die in _my_ arms?"

"When the time comes, yes."

"So I should make myself available at a moment's notice, then?"

"Well, I'm only fifty; one would hope I have several good years ahead of me.  But if it really worries you... you could--we could--there's the cabin in Minnesota. It might make a rather nice home for both of us. Then you'd be close; handy, so to speak."

"I see. I suppose," Daniel said conversationally, as he ran a finger along the railing, "if I had my choice, I'd prefer dying in your arms as well."

"Oddly enough, it's the one way you _haven't_ tried yet."

"True."

"Not that there's any hurry, mind you."

"Definitely not."

Jack moved closer. "So how does Minnesota sound?"

"It sounds... good.

"Something to consider upon our return, then?"

Daniel's eyes widened in surprise. "Not very practical for a general assigned to Washington."

"But very practical for a retired general. And maybe a retired linguist and archaeologist?"

"The Wraith are still a threat...."

"And if they need us, we'll come."

"Need... _us_?"

"Yep. Us."

Daniel moved closer, choosing to once again look out over the rippling water. "You know, I'm thinking we try living forever. What do you say to that?"

"With you, anything is possible."

 

 

 

-30-


End file.
